This invention relates to an apparatus for forming and planting slide fastener elements. More particularly, the invention relates to an apparatus for forming and planting slide fastener elements in which elements are cut out from a formed wire and are successively secured to a fastener tape after they are formed with engageable heads to form a slide fastener stringer.
In apparatuses of this kind, a ram is mounted for reciprocal movement in a horizontal direction. The ram is provided at the forward end thereof with a forming die for forming the head of an element and a passage for guiding a formed wire. When the ram moves backward, an element is cut out from the formed wire by a cutting punch mounted for relative movement in the horizontal direction with respect to the ram. The cut-out element is received in the forming die when the ram reaches the end of its backward movement. At the end of the ram's backward movement, a forming punch disposed above the forming die descends to form an engageable head in the element. Then the ram advances to a position in which the legs of the element receive a side portion of a fastener tape therebetween, where the element is planted onto the tape by squeezing the legs onto the tape using side punches.
Apparatuses of this kind are disclosed in Japanese Pat. Publication No. 7016/71 and U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,763,051 and 2,804,677.